God’s power is absolute: God is not defeated by death. Jesus shows divine power in today’s Gospel, raising the widow’s son from the dead. We celebrate this compassion and pray for the grace to imitate it.

Opening Prayer:

O God, our very breath, our only hope, in every age you take pity on us and bring forth life from death. Visit your people and raise your Church to new life, that we may join with all generations in voicing our wonder and praise. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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A Reading from the Old Testament: 1 Kings 17:17-24 (NLT)
[Elijah raises a boy from death, much as Jesus did at Nain. His ministry as a prophet is vindicated by this action.]

Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?”

But Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”

And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”

Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you.”
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13 (NLT)

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health.
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Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!”
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You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
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“Psalm 30 Garments of Joy” – Sons of Korah

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A Reading from the Letters: Galatians 1:11-17, 19 (NLT)
[The second reading is from Galatians for all of June this year. Paul wrote this letter to a community who had been led astray. In this reading he establishes his credentials as a true apostle.]

Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.

But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.

When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.
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The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 7:11-17 (NLT)
[The only son of a widow is being brought out to be buried. In raising the boy to life, Jesus gives the widow back her hope.]

Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.
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Hymn: “Healer” – Kari Jobe

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Intercessory Prayer:

Lord our God, maker of heaven and earth: you are compassionate and all-powerful. Hear our payers and show us your mercy.

+ That Christians may believe that you have power to free souls from death in this life and the life to come…. Lord, hear us.
+ That all who grieve may be consoled, especially those who have lost loved ones throughout the Middle East…. Lord, hear us.
+ That parents who mourn the loss of a child may be comforted and always have support…. Lord, hear us.
+ That poor and lonely people may find friendship in Christ through your church…. Lord, hear us.
+ That people who are sick may be healed by your power at work in us and through us…. Lord, hear us.
+ That you may raise up all who have died in Christ and turn mourners’ hearts from sadness to joy…. Lord, hear us.

Lord our God, you graciously change mourning into dancing, so great is your love for us. Listen to our prayers, and come to our help, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Mourning Into Dancing” – Ron Kenoly

Benediction:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13